5 Myths About White
Privilege
Written by: Dave DeRose
As soon as
some of you read my first few points, I know that you are going to check out.
Some of you are going to disagree with me, some in quiet and others vocally. To
those of you who disagree, I ask that you challenge yourself to read this piece
in its entirety – it’s not long – and reflect on the points made. How do they
make you feel? And, why do you feel that way? After you have considered those
thoughts I encourage you to contact me with questions you have or if you would like to express your thoughts.
Others will agree with most if not
everything I say. I would encourage you
to raise your voice on this issue, help me clear the air.
Now when it comes to white
privilege – I just felt to collective chill running down the spine of white people
everywhere – there are five myths that directly impact how white privilege is
perceived, and perception is reality. It
is time to lift the veil on what white privilege is in order to remedy these
misguided perceptions. These common misconceptions have led white people
everywhere to push back and reject it. However there is nothing to push against
here. Truth is like the wind, no matter how hard you push you’ll never knock it
down. You’ll either fall on your face or a gust will knock you down. I will identify
these myths in order to better convey the reality of white privilege really is. It is not
something to be afraid of, feel guilty about, or be threatened by.
#1 White privilege is a racist term.
White
privilege does acknowledge race as a factor of society; however, it is not a
racist term. It is a societal observation that race is the variable that changes how people experience life. It is a cultural term
that should stay in that context. White people belong to the dominant culture
group and are thus less impacted (if impacted at all) in American culture based
on the color of their skin, than people of color are. Every culture around the
world has a dominant culture group. If you live in the Middle East, this could
be the difference between being Shi’a or Sunni. In India it is the difference
between being a Brahman or an Untouchable. In China it is the Han Chinese. The
cultural group you are born to directly impact how you experience the society
you are raised in. Race in this country, just so happens to be our dividing line.
#2 Acknowledging white privilege means that you have to
admit to being racist.
Being a
member of the dominant culture group doesn’t make you racist. It just means
that your skin color is the same as the one belonging to the dominant culture
group. I will discuss were racism comes
into play later.
# 3 White privilege discredits a white person’s hard work
and success.
White
privilege doesn’t discredit any hard working white person's success and throw it
in the trash as, “This only happened because they are white.” People of all
races work hard and lift themselves out of poverty everyday. My parents came to
Colorado with little more than $300. They – through hard work and being
responsible – were able to build something amazing. Their success is not due to
their skin color. However, choosing neighborhoods, buying shampoo, finding
Band-Aids that matched the color of their children’s skin was not as stressful
as it would have been for a black family. They were never hired for a job and then accused of only getting it because they were white and their employer needed to fit a quota. They were always viewed as competent for the jobs they
earned.
#4 White privilege is a stereotype.
Merriam-Webster
defines a stereotype as, “A standardized mental picture that is held in common
by members of a group that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced
attitude, or uncritical judgment.” In other words, thinking that all gay men
are flamboyant, physically weak, and dress in a certain way is a
stereotype. It turns human beings into
single word negative definition. Stereotypes, such as the one listed above, do
exist and are detrimental to our society: white privilege is not a stereotype.
White privilege identifies a social construct that revolves around being born
white in a white dominated culture. It, in essence, says that there are things
you don’t have to worry about because you were born in white skin. That’s what privilege is; not having to worry about things others do. Just like a child
being born to wealthy parents. It is not the child’s fault they were born into
privilege. Yet, as the child gets older, acknowledging they are more privileged
than others is essential to understanding their place in the world. Only when
we, as white people, acknowledge there is white privilege can we begin to use
it to improve circumstances for those not born in the dominant culture group.
Just as a wealthy family can use their privilege to help others by donating money, hiring people outside their race, and a plethora of other ways; we too can
use our ears, voices, and attitudes to improve circumstances for those not born
in the dominate culture group.
#5 There is only one race, the human race.
I have
heard this one a lot, and to be honest I wish it were true. As a Christian, I
believe that we are all made in God’s image and therefore are all connected.
Yet, to deny different races, religions, and cultures is to deny peoples
experiences as they walk through life. When we deny people’s lived experiences,
it is like telling them they don’t exist. For if the experiences they have had
are just imaginary then their life must be as well. Different races do
experience the world differently. For example, I went shopping for groceries
and hygiene products this morning. I went to my local grocery store – just up
the street – and was able to find shampoo, hair gel, and all the foods that I
grew up with easily. I didn’t have to drive to a special “ethnic” store to find
the products I needed. This is not true for everyone.
In conclusion
White
privilege is a reality. Skin does impact how we experience life: especially in
this country. To dismiss this fact is to deny the reality of so many great
people. In my opinion, the only racist action is to deny this truth and sweep it
under the rug of indifference.
